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“This isn’t about trusting you. I trust you. I just don’t trust them.”
“It’s the same thing!”
“No, it’s not! Your affection for them has blinded you to their faults. But it hasn’t blinded me. I won’t let you dictate the terms of our marriage when you can’t see the enormity of what you ask. You’ll have to accept that I’m doing what’s best for us both.”
“As you did when you kidnapped me?” she said dryly.
That sent his temper over the edge. “This is absurd. I’m not going to tell your blasted family a blasted thing until Morgan returns, so that’s that. And we will marry as soon as possible. Don’t think to sway me on this with your childish ultimatums.”
Her head shot up so fast, it was a miracle it didn’t go flying off. And as soon as he saw the fire in her gaze, he realized his mistake. Blast.
“Childish ultimatums? Childish, mind you?” Striding up to him with her gown in tow, she poked him in the chest. “You have the audacity to call me childish, when you’re the one who refuses to do the right thing!”
“Now see here, Juliet, I didn’t mean—”
“Oh yes, you did! You think I haven’t changed a bit in two years. You think you can just order me about in that condescending tone, and I’ll do exactly as you say. And if I deign to disagree or want matters handled another way, you call me childish.”
“I didn’t call you childish!” But he could feel her slipping from his grasp.
She ignored his protest, that blasted finger of hers continuing to stab his chest. “If that’s what you think of me, you…you arrogant, pistol-shooting bully, then you are sadly mistaken. I was a fool the first time I let you tell me what to do. I let you convince me that eloping and sneaking about were better than going right to my father and telling him everything. Well, I’ll be damned if I let you convince me to do it again!”
She poked him again, and he grabbed her finger. “Juliet, be sensible. You don’t want to upset your family needlessly—”
“That’s what you said the last time.” Jerking her hand free, she snatched up her gown and shimmied into it.
Devil take her impeccable memory. “It isn’t the same, and you know it.”
“Only because this time you aren’t kidnapping me under the erroneous belief that you can maneuver everything to your satisfaction—”
“Erroneous!” he exploded. “I succeeded, didn’t I?”
“Except for putting my family in danger and destroying my reputation. I suppose you’re perfectly happy to see me maligned by every loose tongue while you wait for your precious brother to return!”
“If you marry me,” he bit out, “whatever small rumors there are won’t matter, will they? Unless you planned on our staying in London and becoming the cream of society.”
Her cold expression struck him hollow. “You seem to forget that my family will be hurt by gossip as much as I would. The least you can do is let them know why they’re suffering.”
She struggled to fasten her buttons. Swearing under his breath, he circled around to stand behind her and seize the edges of her gown. Though she stood rigid as a post, she dropped her hands and allowed him to fasten her up.
It felt so comfortable and natural to help her dress. If she’d only be reasonable, he could soon do it whenever he wished. Which would undoubtedly be often, since he couldn’t keep his hands off her.
He leaned close and lowered his voice. “Why the devil do you care so much about them? It’s me you’re marrying.” She bent her head to give him access to the top buttons. He swept the gossamer strands of her hair aside, his gut clenching to think that she might postpone their marriage. Over this, for God’s sake! “I’d think you’d put my wishes ahead of your family’s welfare, since I’m to be your husband.”
Until he’d said the words, he hadn’t realized how much he resented her family’s influence in her life. How much he ached to be the one who mattered most to her. Not that he would ever let her know it. He wouldn’t beg, damn it.
“Why should I do otherwise when you’re doing exactly the same—putting Morgan’s welfare before my wishes?”
He gritted his teeth, wishing she hadn’t chosen this particular moment to be so blasted logical. “So your solution is to delay the wedding.”
She shrugged. “If you won’t tell them anything—”
“I won’t.” He had to keep silent about Morgan until matters were settled.
“Then I see no other solution.”
Leaving him, she hurried to the bed and sat down to draw her stockings up her gamine legs, making his mouth go dry. She couldn’t truly mean to delay the wedding. Could she?
“How long can you keep your family in Shropshire?” he asked, trying to sound nonchalant when inside he felt like a man slipping into a dangerous quagmire.
